Last month's discovery of a fossilized leg from a dinosaur that died on the day that an asteroid wiped out all of its kind was hailed as the "ultimate dinosaur drumstick" (as one scientist called it) — the holy grail of paleontology, and a rare and astonishing discovery. Indeed, evidence suggests the dinosaur's death was likely caused by the aftermath of the Chixclub impact event some 66 million years ago, which scientists believe led to the extinction of all its fellow dinosaurs as well.
The details of the discovery, and other amazing fossils found at the Tanis dig site in North Dakota, are discussed in more detail in a two-part special called "Dinosaur Apocalypse," which airs on May 11 at 9pm ET on PBS. The documentary, narrated by David Attenborough, follows paleontologist Robert DePalma and his team at a thriving dig site hidden in the Badlands of North Dakota, where paleontologists have uncovered rare fossilized creatures that appear connected to the fateful day that ended the Cretaceous Period. Through their discoveries, humanity will be able to learn more about what happened during the last days of the dinosaurs— and more about what life was like at the Tanis site.
